I do not own Merlin.

Arthur had wanted Merlin to burn. Burn for the lies he had told, the betrayal of Arthur's trust. As he stepped towards Merlin he had all the intention of sending Merlin to the pyre.

But watching Merlin's face go slack, his eyes rolling back in his head as Uther pulled the sword from Merlin's back, shock began to settle in. The events around Arthur began to move more slowly. Guinevere screamed as Merlin began to slowly slump towards the floor. Lost to his madness, Uther was swinging the bloody sword around him, yelling about the perils of sorcery.

Watching Uther's breakdown, it became clear to Arthur that this was why Merlin hadn't ever shared his secrets. The threat of death was so present, the gallows always looming. Arthur felt sick as the vision of Merlin on the pyre came to him again.

Merlin's body thumped against the floor, Guinevere rushed to Merlin's side and grabbed his head, cradling it in her lap. He saw Gwaine run out of the throne room.

It felt like forever as he watched Merlin's blood spill onto the floor before he could force his body to move. He was on his knees staring at Merlin's wide and unfocused eyes. Elyan pushed his cloak into Arthur's hand and guided Arthur to try and stem the flow of blood from the gaping wound.

He watched Guinevere tell Merlin through tears that it would be alright, pushing his hair out of his face. Merlin's eyes were still unfocused as he began to cough up blood.

"No! Get away from him! Arthur I forbid it!"

Arthur wrenched his eyes away from Merlin to Uther. "What?"

Leon had managed to disarm Uther of the sword and no Uther was struggling to escape Percival who had taken upon himself to subdue the mad king. Uther's eyes were wide and full of fury as he looked upon Arthur.

"He's a bloody sorcerer, obviously in league with that wizard! He's a perversion of all that is good. He is evil and as such has been condemned." Uther pulled against Percival again, but the bigger man did not release his hold.

"Step away from him! Death to any who aide the sorcerer!" Percival managed to drag Uther back a few feet, but he was still struggling to escape. "I have worked too hard rid the world of this scum to have my own son aide a traitor!"

Arthur felt his blood boil. "He saved my life! You murdered him after he had saved my life, without a chance to explain himself!"

"Magicians must be eradicated, Arthur! They are plague on humanity! They are scum that will corrupt you! That thing obviously wanted to steal the throne from you!" Uther flailed against Percival.

"His name is Merlin" Arthur spat out towards his father.

Uther lashed out against Percival again, landing a gloved fist on Percival's cheek, Percival's head snapped back, but he didn't release his hold on Uther. Leon pinned Uther's free arm to the wall.

"Traitors! Every one of you! I will see every one of you burn! And Arthur you will-" Uther's words were muffled as a cloth was pressed up against his nose and mouth. Gwaine had snuck up behind Uther and was pressing a white cloth down hard on Uther's face. Uther struggled against his new combatant, but he gave up his fight as he slumped down against Percival and Leon.

Arthur stared at Gwaine as Leon helped Percival lower his father to the floor.

"Don't worry sire, it's just a sedative. He'll be out for a few hours and wake up dehydrated with a terrible headache. Now move aside," Gaius's hands were shaking as he gently pushed the blood soaked cape away from the wound.

"My boy," tears sprang to Gaius's eyes as he examined the wound. He cleared the bloody clothes away from the wound.

"How is he? Will he survive?"

Gais pulled a bottle out of his bag refusing to meet Arthur's eyes. "The blade went through his stomach and tore into a vital artery. It won't be much longer before..." Gaius trailed off as he brushed his hand against Merlin's pale face. He brought the bottle of herbs up under Merlin's nose and uncapped it.

Arthur watched as Merlin's eyes came back into focus.

"Gaius?" Merlin's voice was barely a whisper.

"I'm here Merlin, it's going to be alright." Gaius cleaned the blood around Merlin's mouth. Guinevere turned to Elyan and buried her face in his shoulder.

"I failed... I couldn't protect..." Merlin stuttered as his eyes went out of focus.

"Arthur's alive, Merlin. Because of you, you saved him."

Merlin smiled. "Good, he's going to be a great king someday...destiny..."

Arthur leaned over Merlin's face, "Merlin." He turned to Gaius, "Gaius is there a way to heal him? Any at all? Even magic?"

Gaius looked away from Arthur, "No. I might have, in my youth, possessed the ability to heal a wound of this magnitude. But I turned away from that path. I supported my king" Gaius spat the words out of his mouth, "and now I lack the power or skill."

Arthur felt tears come to his eyes "We cannot allow him to die! I refuse to sit here and watch him die!" Gaius flinched but his eyes remained steadfastly on Merlin.

Arthur was ready to grab Gaius's' robe and force a different answer from him when Guinevere spoke.

"Arthur," Arthur turned to look at Guinevere. Even when crying she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. "Make him comfortable. Make your peace" she grabbed Arthur's arm and squeezed him tight.

"Ar...thur." he looked down to seen Merlin staring back at him with an intent look on his face, "I'm...so...sorry." Arthur put both hands on Merlin's shoulders and looked him strait in the eyes.

Arthur's tears were flowing freely now, "I wish we had more time to talk. I'm ready to listen, but Merlin..." Arthur blinked away the tears, "You are forgiven."

Merlin's eyes flashed gold.

I hope you enjoyed this. Dialogue is not my favorite thing, but I tried my best!